


Cliques

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [50]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 22:08:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6677296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(August-October 2010) Bob and Julie's children are forced to embrace their heritage to defend themselves against the dominant culture of Little Elm (TX) High School</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cliques

**Author's Note:**

> **warnings** : high-school bullying, attempted rape, language (including a precision F-strike and one cluster F-bomb), one literal shoot-the-dog moment
> 
> * * *
> 
> #### DRAMATIS PERSONAE
> 
> **TASK FORCE (covert American supergroup)**
> 
>   * Ted Jameson (AKA Ranger), disgustingly-powerful speedster
>   * Julie Dormyer Hawkins (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Olivia d'Alembert (AKA Thelambra), supermodel, wife of Ted Jameson, luck-based Empyrean telekinetic
>   * David Kayami (AKA Grandfather), disgustingly-powerful Navajo-themed supermage/cleric
>   * Jason Kayami (AKA Ghostbane), Brick with power of magic absorption
> 

> 
> **Clan Hawkins**
> 
>   * Nathan Hawkins, son of Bob and Julie Hawkins, speedster, senior
>   * Laura Hawkins, daughter of Bob and Julie Hawkins, time-elemental, junior
>   * James Hawkins, son of Bob and Julie Hawkins, gadgeteer, freshman
>   * Jillian Hawkins, daughter of Bob and Julie Hawkins, cyberkinetic, freshman
>   * Shina Arikawa, butler/chauffer/bodyguard for Julie Hawkins (her 'Alfred')
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Charles 'Chuck' Steele, Head Coach, Little Elm Lobos football team, Lucas' father
>   * Bradley Bryan, Principal of Little Elm High School
> 

> 
> **students at Little Elm High School**
> 
>   * Jacqueline 'Jackie' Drake, senior at Little Elm High School
>   * Tomas Contreras, senior, strong safety for the Little Elm Lobos and private pilot
>   * Mike Washington, senior, track star and president of the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
>   * Carson Kirby, senior, superhero super-fan and supergeek, assistant manager of Camelot Bookstore in Little Elm
>   * Lucas Steele, senior, starting quarterback for the Little Elm Lobos
>   * Marcy Hollister, senior, captain of the cheerleading squad and alpha bitch
>   * Stephanie Langford, senior, cheerleader and member of Marcy's girl posse
>   * Diana Holt, junior, cheerleader and member of Marcy's girl posse
>   * Lorelei Pierce, junior, previous sexual victim of Lucas Steele
>   * Randy Corwin, freshman
>   * Justin York, freshman, budding high school hustler
>   * Marcellus Edwards, freshman, potential basketball star
> 

> 
> **other**
> 
>   * Teresa Rendon, Constable, Denton County, TX
>   * Tim Corwin, Agent in charge of PRIMUS' DFW Detachment, father of Randy
>   * Vernon Edwards, Senior Manager for ProStar, father of Marcellus
>   * Paula Pierce, mother of Lorelei
>   * Lisa Hollister, State Representative for Little Elm in the Texas Legislature, mother of Marcy
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Telepathy is denoted by (( )), internal monologue by [[ ]]
> 
> * * *

**PROLOGUE** : Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II, Lakewood Village, TX. Sometime in late July

(It's dinner time at the Manor. Bob 'Starforce' Hawkins finishes saying Grace at the table, and everyone starts into their food except for Nathan Hawkins)

 **Nathan** : "Mom? Dad?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yes, dear?"

(Bob cocks his head quizzically)

 **Nathan** : "I know you've both been busy getting ready for hosting Geekfest, but..." (beat, then rushing) "We were wondering if you had a chance to talk over our request."

(Bob and Julie look at each other)

 **Starforce** : "You're referring to all of you requesting that you attend a public school instead of being homeschooled?"

 **Nathan** : "Yes, sir."

 **Ladyhawk** : "We talked at lunch."

(the children look on hopefully)

 **Nathan** : "And?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "I think it's a good idea, dear. All of you need to learn how to interact with others and explore other things you might want to do with your lives."

 **Starforce** : "I *don't* think it's a good idea. You'll find the education sub-par compared to what we both have been able to provide you. You'll also probably be on the wrong end of a social pecking order which *should* horrify you in terms of its pettiness and rigid adherence to conformity."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Bob): "Nerd-boy, you're projecting your own experiences in High School onto our children."

 **Starforce** : "Actually, my High School experience was fairly benign. Only Chuck Steele, the star football player, ever tried to torment me." (beat. darkly) "He's why I learned self-defense."

 **James** (talking around a mouthful of food): "There's a Chuck Steele listed as the head football coach at Little Elm High School."

 **Starforce** (beat): "It's not that uncommon a name combination..."

 **James** : "Originally from Indianapolis, according to the school website."

(beat, then Bob's face hardens)

 **Jillian** (whispered into James' ear): "Way to go, dumbass."

 **Laura** (crestfallen): "So I guess the answer's no, then?"

(tense pause. Bob looks at Julie again, then at the children)

 **Starforce** : "I never said that you couldn't enroll. I only said that I think it's a bad idea."

(beat, then the Hawkins children give various muted signs of joy and approval)

 **Starforce** (interrupting): "I'm agreeing with Julie ONLY because some of life's lessons need to be learned the hard way."

 **Nathan/Laura/James/Jillian** : "Thank you, Dad."

 **Starforce** : "Don't thank me yet unless you can survive at least one school year without being traumatized."

(he resumes eating)

 **Ladyhawk** (murmured): "Thank you, Bob."

* * *

(Little Elm High School, Little Elm, TX. T minus one week to the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year)

(The Independent School District is holding an open house for students and parents new to the high school. Bob and Julie are milling about in the Commons area while their children investigate the various school clubs and extracurricular activities)

 **Starforce** (looking around): "Not what I expected a high school to look like after three decades."

 **Ladyhawk** (hitting him softly): "Oh, cut it out, Nerd-boy." (beat, looking around) "Where's Laura?"

 **Starforce** : "Over talking with the choir director."

 **Ladyhawk** : "That'll be a good fit for her. She's got your musical talents, and you've always been afraid that they weren't being unlocked at home."

(they make a close approach of Nathan talking with Jackie Drake)

 **Jackie** : "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "What are you trying to recruit him to do now?"

 **Jackie** : "Track and field."

 **Nathan** : "Unsuccessfully."

(everyone laughs, and Bob and Julie walk on)

 **Starforce** : "Last week, it was speech team."

 **Ladyhawk** : "No dear, that was two weeks ago. Last week was Junior Achievement."

 **Starforce** (beat): "I blame Geekfest for losing a week..."

(a balding black man about an inch shorter than Bob backs up into his path, concentrating on taking a picture of who apparently is his son next to the basketball coach)

 **Man** : "I'm sorry..."

 **Ladyhawk** (smiling): "No, go ahead! We're not in a hurry..."

(they wait while he takes the picture)

 **Man** : "Thank you kindly! I'm Vernon Edwards, by the way, and this is my son Marcellus. He'll be a freshman this year."

 **Marcellus** (uncertainly): "Hi."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I'm Julie Hawkins and this is my husband, Bob. We've got a son *and* daughter who are going to be classmates with Marcellus."

(Marcellus' eyes widen. He's already realized they're retired superheroes)

 **Starforce** (to Vernon): "Wait a minute. Aren't you the guy ProStar hired last month to manage Destreum production?"

 **Vernon** : "Yes, I am! And it is *such* a pleasure to be talking to the man who INVENTED my job!"

(Bob and Vernon laugh as they both shake hands)

 **Starforce** (smiling): "Glad I could be of service!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "You moved down from Chicago, right?"

 **Vernon** : "Finally got the last boxes unloaded last week. Vivica was SO glad..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Settling in OK?"

 **Vernon** : "We're getting used to it."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Good. Ferris is pretty good with his open door policy, so don't hesitate to bother him if you need help."

 **Vernon** (smiling): "I will keep that in mind, ma'am!"

 **Starforce** (clasping his shoulder): "Take care, sir."

 **Vernon** : "Likewise, Dr. Hawkins!"

(Bob and Julie wander over toward a vending machine. Bob gets himself a Dr. Pepper)

 **Starforce** (opening his Dr. Pepper): "We have SO been needing to get a dedicated unit to do nothing but produce Destreum..."

(Ladyhawk's attention is drawn to a big, overweight man who is staring intently at her and Bob)

 **Big Man** : "HEY GEEK! GEEK HAWKINS!!"

(Bob cringes. He's recognized the voice immediately)

 **Starforce** (muttered): "Was it *too* much to ask him to have a bad memory?"

 **Ladyhawk** (murmured): "Be nice, Nerd-boy."

(the big man walks closer. He's wearing a sweat-stained polo shirt with the school mascot on it that fit him a lot better 10 years ago)

 **Big Man** : "It's Chuck! Chuck Steele, from Broad Ripple! You remember me!"

 **Starforce** : "Unfortunately."

 **Chuck** : "Aw c'mon, Geek! Boys will be boys! It was all in fun..."

(awkward pause)

 **Starforce** (to Julie): "To give you some historical context, to Mr. Steele my last name was always 'Geek.'" (beat, takes a drink) "My first name was always 'Chickenshit.'"

(Julie's Danger Sense starts to go off)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob? DON'T..."

(Bob casually sets his drink down on an adjacent table with his right hand, which is why everyone misses what he does with his left for the first few seconds. Grabbing Chuck by the front of his polo shirt, he lifts him six inches off the ground one-handed [STR 20 out of armor FTW])

 **Starforce** (menacing whisper to Chuck): "My name, Chuckie, is the Son of Doctor Destroyer."

(Bob 10d6 PRE attack [25 PRE out of armor + 3d6 for extreme negative reputation + 1d6 for exhibiting power + 1d6 for violent action] gets PRE+10 on Chuck)

 **Chuck** : "Okay, calm down! You can let go of my shirt..."

 **Starforce** : "I was aiming for your neck."

(tense pause, punctuated by gasps of alarm as the open house attendees suddenly realize what's happening)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob! Put him down!"

 **Starforce** : "I used to be SO naive when we were in high school, Chuckie." (beat) "You get one warning. That was it."

(Bob drops Chuck, who misses the resulting DEX roll and falls on his butt)

 **Starforce** (continuing, looming over Chuck): "Mess with my children this school year, and I WILL mess with you."

 **Chuck** (climbing to his feet): "Is that a threat?"

 **Starforce** : "It's a promise. Learn the difference."

(Bob turns to pick his drink back up)

 **Starforce** (continuing): "And if you think that I'm incapable of fulfilling it without suiting up, I can arrange another demonstration outside. Right now."

(Julie grabs the first available arm and yanks Bob away hard)

 **Ladyhawk** (hissing): "Robert Alan Hawkins, that will be QUITE enough!"

(Chuck stares after Bob as Julie drags him away. Bob returns it with an implacable glare before Chuck loses himself in the crowd)

 **Ladyhawk** (hissing): "What the HELL got into you?"

 **Starforce** (whispered): "Do you have ANY idea how long I've fantasized about that moment? *Only* since I was 13!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "That's not YOU, Bob." (beat) "That's not the man I married."

 **Starforce** : "It *is* me, Julie! He made me feel so helpless in high school -- and I HATED that!"

(Julie lets go of his arm hearing the change in the tone of his voice)

 **Starforce** (continuing): "That's why I joined the Project STARFORCE team when ProStar originally hired me. So I'd never feel helpless again the next time a bully confronted me or tried to take something of mine."

(long pause, held gaze)

 **Ladyhawk** (internal monologue): [[damn, Bob]] (verbally) "Let's go see where the children are."

* * *

(Little Elm High School. First Day of the 2010-2011 school year)

(Nathan is driving the other Hawkins children in one of the manor's SUVs. He turns into the student parking lot and looks for a parking space, dodging students walking through the lot paying more attention to their smartphones)

 **Laura** (talking to James and Jillian): "Now remember what Mom and Dad said. You're both freshman, and that means if any of us get targeted it'll be one or both of you."

 **Jillian** (reading something on her phone): "You're not my mother."

 **James** : "Sis? She's trying to look out for us..."

 **Jillian** : "I don't need my bratty older sister trying to look out after me. I'm capable of taking care of myself."

 **Laura** : "BRATTY?"

 **Jillian** : "You *really* don't want to irritate me today. Butt out while you still can."

 **Nathan** (absently): "Jillian? We're *all* nervous..."

 **Laura** (to Jillian): "Like WHAT do you think you can to do to *me*?"

 **Jillian** : "I know where you hide all your _Twilight_ fanfics. Piss me off enough and I *will* post them online."

 **Laura** (beat, angry): "You wouldn't DARE!"

 **Nathan** : "Children? Behave."

(Nathan finally finds a parking spot, and not a moment too soon)

 **Nathan** (getting out and pointing the entrance out to the others): "We'll meet up here after school. Text me if you're going to be late to the rendezvous."

 **Jillian** (popping gum): "Now you're channelling Uncle Ted from the 1980's, when he ran TASK FORCE."

(a group of athletic boys sitting on the hoods of cars nearby take notice. The leader, a blond with a square jaw, good looks, and a crew cut haircut walks up to Laura)

 **Boy** : "Hey, there. My name's Lucas. What's yours?"

 **Laura** : "Laura."

 **Lucas** : "I haven't seen you here before..."

 **Laura** : "This is my first year attending."

 **Lucas** : "Well, then. Good luck with your school year, and I will see you later!"

(he grabs her shoulder, squeezes, and winks at her before he rejoins his friends. Beat)

 **Nathan** (to Laura): "You already have an admirer. That was quick."

 **Laura** : "Cut it out, Nate."

 **James** : "Not just *any* admirer. That was Lucas Steele, starting quarterback for the Lobos."

 **Laura** (beat): "Oh."

 **Jillian** (sing-song): "Lucas and Laura, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G..."

 **Laura** (angry): "STOP IT!"

 **Jillian** : "Remember your _Twilight_ fanfics..."

(Laura grunts in annoyed frustration as they all enter the High School)

* * *

(Cafeteria, Little Elm High School. Lunch hour)

(Nathan leaves the lunch line, looking at his tray in disbelief)

 **Nathan** (internal monologue): [[Having to stand in *that* line to get THIS to eat? I'm beginning to agree with Dad about public education...]]

(Jackie Drake notices him. She stands up from her table and waves)

 **Jackie** : "NATE! OVER HERE!!"

 ****(Nathan sees that Jackie is at a table with a handsome-looking and muscular hispanic, a thin and athletic-looking black, and a falstaffian anglo with a beard and glasses [note to animators/illustrators: he looks like a high-school aged Penn Jillette]. He heads over and sits at the remaining seat at their table)

 **Nathan** : "Hey, guys."

 **Jackie** : "Guys? I'd like you to meet Nathan. I've sort of grown up with him all my life."

 **Hispanic** (offering hand): "Tomas Contreras. I'm the defensive captain for the football team."

 **Nathan** (shaking his hand): "What position do you play?"

 **Tomas** : "Strong safety. I also call defensive sets, too."

 **Nathan** : "Sounds complicated."

 **Tomas** (smiling): "Not if you scout your opponents correctly."

(they laugh. The athletic black extends his hand)

 **Black** : "Mike Washington. President of the local Fellowship of Christian Athletes."

 **Nathan** (shaking Mike's hand): "What do *you* do?"

 **Mike** : "Track, my man!"

 **Tomas** : "Mike, this isn't Pleasant Grove. You don't need that fake jive accent or street cred."

(laughter)

 **Jackie** (to Nathan): "He demolished the school record in the 800 last year."

 **Nathan** (impressed): "Cool!"

(the large bearded boy extends his hand)

 **Boy** : "Carson Kirby. Is it true who your parents were?"

 **Nathan** (shaking Carson's hand): "That depends on what you've heard."

 **Carson** : "Your parents were Starforce and Ladyhawk."

 **Nathan** : "I'd prefer not to be defined by who my parents were. I've seen what it's done to my father."

(awkward pause)

 **Carson** : "My bad."

 **Nathan** : "Not a problem."

 **Carson** : "Any chance you could get me to meet them, though?"

(beat, then laughter)

 **Nathan** : "I don't want my year at Little Elm to be spent as Starforce and Ladyhawk's son. I just want to be an ordinary high school student."

 **Mike** : "You're in the WRONG group for that, my man!"

(more laughter among the regulars at the table)

 **Nathan** : "How's that?"

 **Carson** : "Tomas got his private pilot's license this summer, and rumor has it he's getting an appointment to the Air Force Academy next year. Mike's going to become a preacher, and Jackie's going to run her father's company when she grows up!"

 **Nathan** (looking at Jackie, smiling): "That's not what I've heard..."

 **Jackie** (to Nathan): "I'll fight you for ProStar. Deal?"

(laughter)

 **Nathan** (to Carson): "What are YOU going to do?"

 **Carson** (confidently): "I'll find something."

 **Tomas** (to Nathan, pointing at Carson): "He practically RUNS the Camelot bookstore off Eldorado Parkway when he's not at school."

 **Nathan** : "Camelot's the local gaming store too, isn't it?"

 **Tomas** : "Yes, it is."

(beat, then the anvil metaphorically drops. Nathan looks at Tomas wide-eyed)

 **Tomas** : "Where'd you think I learned how to read and scout offenses?"

(laughter)

* * *

(Elsewhere in the cafeteria. One minute later)

(James sees Jillian with a wiry anglo at a table on the edge of the cafeteria. He heads over there)

 **James** (to Jillian while sitting down): "Who's your friend?"

 **Boy** (extending hand): "Justin York. And you are..."

 **James** (taking Justin's hand): "I'm James. Jillian's twin brother."

 **Justin** : "Oh! Damn glad to meet you!"

 **Jillian** (to James): "He's trying to convince me to hack into the school's LAN for fun and profit."

 **James** (to Justin): "You're trying too hard. She'll do it for you just for the challenge factor alone."

(laughter. Justin notices somebody coming out of the cafeteria line and waves an arm. A very tall african-american effortlessly slips through the crowd and lands at their table)

 **Justin** (to the new arrival): "Marcellus? I'd like you to meet our new associates, James and Jillian." (beat) "They're twins."

 **Marcellus** : "I can see that." (shakes their hands) "Marcellus Edwards. Pleasure to meet you both."

(a nondescript anglo lands at their table at this time)

 **Justin** : "Randy! About damn time!"

(laughter)

 **James** (to Randy): "You look familiar."

 **Randy** : "Randy Corwin."

(James and Randy shake hands)

 **James** : "Is your father Tim Corwin, by any chance?"

 **Randy** : "Yes! How did you know?"

 **James** (pointing to himself and Jillian): "Bob and Julie Hawkins are our parents. We've met him before."

 **Randy** (impressed): "Oh!"

* * *

(Elsewhere in the Cafeteria. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(Laura walks out of the cafeteria line and looks for somewhere to sit)

 **Laura** (internal monologue, looking around): [[Nathan's already found a crew -- and with Jackie in it, big surprise there... Nerd-mite and Jillian already found friends, too! Good for them]]

(she sees a lone girl sitting by herself in a back corner of the cafeteria. Long, dark hair, with a look of misery on her face)

 **Laura** : [[Wasn't she in the soprano section of the Robed Choir?]]

(no other table is jumping out at her, so she heads for the lone girl's table)

 **Laura** (setting her tray down): "Hi! Do you mind if I sit with you?"

(the girl shakes her head)

 **Laura** : "I'm Laura. I saw you over in the soprano section during choir this morning."

 **Girl** : "I'm Lorelei. Hi."

(Laura starts shoveling the 'food' into her mouth. Lorelei plays with her food)

 **Laura** : "Look, I know it doesn't taste good, but we need to keep our energy up. Dig in!"

 **Lorelei** : "Why are you being nice to me?"

(awkward pause)

 **Laura** : "Uh... why shouldn't I?"

 **Lorelei** : "You must be new here."

 **Laura** : "Well, yeah. First day at Little Elm."

 **Lorelei** : "So you wouldn't know about what happened to me last year, then."

 **Laura** : "No, I wouldn't." (beat) "Want to talk about it?"

(A blonde with immaculately-curled hair struts through the cafeteria with a food tray, trailed by a similarly-equipped brunette and redhead who are obviously subversient to her. She notices Lorelei and walks over to the table)

 **Blonde** (to Laura): "Don't get too attached to Whiny-Butt here, newbie. You wouldn't want her to be late for her rape-counseling session."

(Lorelei winces)

 **Laura** (beat): "And you are..."

 **Blonde** : "You mean you DON'T know who *I* am?"

 **Laura** : "Should I?"

 **Blonde** : "I'm Marcy Hollister, captain of the cheerleading squad! Everybody knows me!"

 **Brunette** : "Or wishes they knew her."

 **Redhead** : "Or wants to be like her."

(Marcy and her posse giggle)

 **Laura** (internal monologue): [[Wow. I hate them already, and they're not even trying]]

 **Marcy** (to Laura, indicating the brunette): "This is Stepahnie..." (indicating the redhead) "...and this is Diane!"

 **Diane** : "There'll be a quiz afterwards."

(the posse giggles again)

 **Marcy** (indicating Lorelei): "Word of advice, newbie. Get lost. You don't want to be associating with a rape hoaxer like her."

 **Stephanie** : "Or get any on you."

(yet another posse giggle)

 **Laura** (internal monologue): [[that's it]]

(she stands up, reaches casually over, and dumps Marcy's food tray all over her. There are gasps of shock from the posse)

 **Laura** : "You might want to do something about those stains before they set in, Princess."

(Marcy and the posse stand up, angry. Laura still has 4-5 inches of height on them all)

 **Marcy** (screeching): "YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT, BITCH!"

 **Laura** : "I'd like to see you try."

(the adrenaline hits Laura's bloodstream, and everything around her suddenly goes into super-slow motion. Looking at where Marcy's right hand is heading, she steps behind Diane and moves her into the space she had occupied before her powers kicked in)

 **Laura** (internal monologue): [[Okay, let's see if the practice in controlling my powers has paid off...]]

(she concentrates, and everything around her suddenly snaps back into normal speed. Marcy's slap leaves an ugly welt on Diane's cheek)

 **Diane** (hurt, to Marcy): "Why'd you do THAT?"

(Diane upends *her* food tray on Marcy. Laura steps back around the table to stand next to Lorelei while the chain reaction on the other side becomes self-sustaining)

 **Lorelei** (murmured): "How did you do that?"

 **Laura** (smiling mysteriously): "Ancient Chinese Secret." (beat) "Let's get out of here before the teachers notice."

 **Lorelei** (getting up): "I thought I was supposed to eat to build my energy up..."

 **Laura** : "We can do that just as well from the vending machines. Come on!"

(Smiling, Lorelei gets up and follows Laura out of the Cafeteria. Marcy and her posse are too busy arguing between themselves to notice)

* * *

(Cafeteria, Little Elm High School. Lunch Hour, sometime in mid-late September)

 **Jackie** (setting her tray down at the Senior Table): "Wow, Nate. Mr. Stone *really* has it in for you in Civics!"

 **Nathan** : "Mr. Stone's problem is with superheroes in general. Somebody has to defend my parents' actions back in the 1980's."

 **Jackie** : "You need to learn to keep your mouth shut in class regardless of what the teacher says!"

 **Nathan** : "Even if it's untrue?"

 **Jackie** : "ESPECIALLY if it's untrue." (beat) "He's deliberately provoking you, Nate! He wants to get you in trouble, same as what UNTIL's been doing to your father all these years."

(Mike and Carson arrive with their trays)

 **Carson** : "And another episode of the Magical Mystery Meat tour commences."

 **Mike** (smiling): "Yesterday, my man, you were complaining about all the _Twilight_ fans swarming your bookstore."

 **Carson** (looking at his tray): "Right now, I'd prefer facing *them*."

 **Nathan** : "I should tell my sister that you stock Stephenie Meyer."

 **Carson** (to Nathan): "Don't. You. Dare!"

(Tomas arrives with his tray as the rest of the table laughs)

 **Tomas** : "What did I miss?"

 **Jackie** : "Nate's sister Laura is a _Twilight_ fan. Who knew?"

 **Tomas** : "Well, they *are* chasing Camelot's usual clientele out, based on personal observation and Carson's diatribe yesterday."

(there is a commotion two tables over. Lucas Steele and his posse are harassing a table full of goth students)

 **Nathan** : "What's that about?"

 **Mike** (grimly): "High school, my man." (beat, swallows some 'food') "Hunker down and pray that it blows over without any gettin' on us."

(beat. The harassment over at the Goth table gets louder)

 **Nathan** : "None of you are going to DO anything about it?"

 **Tomas** : "We're only five students, Nathan. If we stand up to them, who do you think is going to get punished?"

 **Jackie** : "And if you answer 'them,' you're wrong."

 **Nathan** : "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing, guys!"

 **Mike** : "Sounds profound, my man. You should write it down..."

 **Nathan** (agitated): "Edmund Burke, eighteenth century! Didn't you guys ever *learn* history?!?"

(beat)

 **Carson** (looking away from the goth table): "Not my circus, not my monkeys."

 **Nathan** (standing up, disgusted): "Oh, for God's sake!"

 **Jackie** : "Nate? Don't..."

(he walks over to the Goth table)

 **Nathan** : "Hey, Lucas. What's going on?"

 **Lucas** : "Get lost, rich boy. This is none of your business."

(Nathan blurs. One of Lucas' posse suddenly finds himself not in his chair but on the floor, CON-stunned. Nathan is now sitting down in that chair)

 **Nathan** : "Lucas, I don't know what your problem is with the students at this table, but there are better ways to resolve your dispute with them."

 **Lucas** : "What the hell you talkin' about?"

 **Nathan** (sighs): "Tell you what I'm going to do. Let's have an arm-wrestling contest. If you win, I leave you alone. If I win, you leave *them* alone."

(Lucas stares at him for a moment, then sits down across from Nathan)

 **Lucas** : "Easiest bet I'll ever win."

 **Nathan** : "I'll even do it with my off-hand, too, just so I don't hurt your throwing arm."

 **Lucas** : "Just means I'll beat you quicker." (beat, offers his left hand) "Prepare to get your ass spanked, preppie."

(Nathan smiles and takes his hand. Lucas starts immediately. Tense pause while Lucas grimaces with effort)

 **Nathan** (casually, not showing any effort at all): "You can start any time, you know."

(Lucas begins to get angry, sweat rolling off of his forehead. He is now throwing all his energy into trying to budge Nathan's arm. The crowd around the table grows)

 **Jackie** (beat): "Hey, Nate! What time is it?"

 **Nathan** (instinctively slamming Lucas' arm down on the table to read the watch on his left arm): "Uh, 12:20?"

(the crowd laughs and cheers. Lucas springs to his feet, furious)

 **Nathan** (internal monologue): [[Dammit, Jackie, I didn't want to win THAT easily...]]

(Nathan stands up casually. Tense pause, while Lucas and Nathan are nose-to-nose)

 **Nathan** (to Lucas): "A deal's a deal." (beat) "Now leave."

(beat)

 **Lucas** (turning to leave): "Better watch your back, rich boy."

(Lucas and his posse leave)

 **Random Goth Student** (to Nathan): "You didn't have to do that, man."

 **Nathan** : "Then learn to fight your own battles." (beat, over shoulder) "No one should *ever* have to tolerate how Lucas was treating you just now."

* * *

(Cafeteria, Little Elm High School. Lunch Hour, sometime in early October)

(it's the freshman table we're interested in today)

 **Randy** : "Marcellus, you almost embarrased yourself in English today! Why can't you focus?"

 **Marcellus** : "You know that girl in the first row?"

 **Randy** : "Uh, no."

 **Jillian** (busy typing on her phone): "Moesha Carter."

 **Marcellus** (beat): "Huh?"

 **Jillian** : "The girl you're crushing on is Moesha Carter."

(awkward pause. James lands with a tray of food)

 **James** : "What am I missing?"

 **Randy** : "Your sister is showing off again. She's now hacked into the scheduling computer."

 **Jillian** (busy typing on her phone): "Actually, it was written on the front of her notebooks."

(Randy and Marcellus facepalm)

 **Jilllian** : "It's always the OBVIOUS clue that everyone misses..."

(two sophomores suddenly head toward their table)

 **Randy** : "Aw, crap! Not again..."

 **James** : "Where's Justin? We could use him about now."

 **Jillian** : "Problems in algebra again. He's not doing so well in that class."

 **Sophomore #1** (to Marcellus): "Hey, Stringbean! Forgot something?"

 **Sophomore #2** (to Marcellus): "You're supposed to dispose of our lunch trays for us or we beat the shit out of you."

(under the table, James brings up a custom app on his smartphone. He scans for a moment, then shows the output to Jillian)

 **Jillian** (murmured): "Got it. Stand by."

(she gets to work frantically on her phone)

(Randy stands between the sophomores and their intended target)

 **Randy** : "Go pick on somebody else!"

 **Sophomore #1** : "No."

 **Sophomore #2** : "We like picking on Stringbean."

(Justin sprints into the cafeteria, out of breath)

 **Justin** (to the sophomores): "Glad you could make it, guys. I was thinking things over last night and I think we can come to a mutually-beneficial arrangement here..."

 **Sophomore #1** : "You talk too much."

 **Sophomore #2** : "Wonder how well he'd talk with his face in the toilet?"

 **Sophomore #1** : "While it flushes?"

(Jillian abruptly holds a hand with all fingers up. She begins a countdown to zero with her fingers only)

 **Sophomore #1** (looking at Jillian): "Whaddya think the brat's doin'?"

 **Sophomore #2** : "I dunno..."

(it's at that moment that Jillian reaches zero. It's also at that moment that Lucas Steele and one of his senior accomplices arrive. Without a word, they each take one of the sophomores with them and drag them off towards the Boy's room, kicking and protesting)

 **Jillian** (looking off after them): "I'd like that swirly to go, please."

 **Justin** : "Jillian, what did you DO?"

 **Jillian** : "Hacked the sophomore's cellphone accounts and used them to send Lucas Steele some messages saying he's so stupid that he thinks animal husbandry is a lab course."

(horrified pause among the rest of the table)

 **Jillian** (continuing): "Not in those exact words, of course."

(beat)

 **Randy** : "I... think we'd better get out of here."

 **Marcellus** : "Uh, yeah?"

* * *

(Library, Little Elm High School. Friday morning, sometime in mid-October)

(Lorelei and Laura are studying in the Library)

 **Lorelei** : "What was it like growing up as a child of superheroes?"

 **Laura** : "They had kind of retired from that before they got married. It's not like they've been suiting up and punching evil in the face while they've been raising me or my brothers or sister." /* oh, Laura. If you only knew... */

 **Lorelei** : "They had to have some mementoes of those years, didn't they?"

 **Laura** : "Well... there's this big scary trophy case in the library with Dad's armor and Mom's suit, utility belt, and swords, a couple of Presidential Medals of Freedom they got for the Battle of Detroit, and two medals with Russian embossed on them which they claim are Heroes of the Soviet Union that they were awarded after the Day of the Destroyer."

(beat)

 **Lorelei** : "That's it?"

 **Laura** : "They've got some interesting pictures scattered throughout the house, too. Dad receiving some award over in Europe, Mom talking with scientists from one of the Mandaarian's expeditions to Earth, and Mom and Dad silhouetted in front of something they say is the core of our galaxy are the ones that spring out at you." (beat) "The people that visit, too, are interesting."

 **Lorelei** : "Like who?"

 **Laura** : "The Army general that runs PRIMUS is apparently a long-time friend of theirs... former President Bush drops by sometimes... the superhero Diamond visited once... Tetsuronin visits from Japan every other August to get drunk with Dad for two weeks... um, I even remember when Uncle Vikon dropped by and took the house over when I was only four..."

 **Lorelei** : "Uncle Vikon?"

 **Laura** : "Emperor of the Varanyi. Mom and Dad knew him when he had been exiled to Earth." (beat) "They exchange videos every Christmas, so they keep in touch even with him ruling on the other side of the Galaxy."

 **Lorelei** : "I can't imagine what it would be like growing up with all that going on."

 **Laura** : "It's something that I don't like to advertise."

(awkward pause)

 **Lorelei** : "I'm sorry. I was just curious."

 **Laura** : "That's OK."

 **Lorelei** (beat): "How about I tell you about my family, now?"

 **Laura** : "Okay." (beat) "You only ever talk about your mother. What happened to your father?"

(awkward pause)

 **Lorelei** : "I was in 5th grade, and Dad's Army Reserve unit was called up for Iraq." (beat) "An IED killed him on a road in Anbar province."

 **Laura** (beat): "Oh, my God. I'm sorry, Lorelei..."

 **Lorelei** : "It's OK. Mom keeps telling me I shouldn't hide from it, that if I keep it bottled up it'll tear me up inside."

 **Laura** : "If you ever need to talk about it -- or cry on a shoulder -- I'm here for you."

 **Lorelei** : "Thank you."

 **Laura** : "That also includes why Marcy Hollister has it in for you, or why you flinch every time Lucas Steele walks by."

 **Lorelei** (nervously): "Maybe later."

 **Laura** : "Okay."

(beat)

 **Lorelei** : "Hey, are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

 **Laura** : "Hadn't planned on anything. Why?"

 **Lorelei** : "Mom's going out on a date and I was inviting a couple of Facebook friends over to watch movies."

 **Laura** (smiling): "Yeah, I'd be interested!"

 **Lorelei** (shy smile): "Okay."

* * *

(Mud room, Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II. Saturday evening)

(Nathan and Laura are heading for the garage)

 **Laura** : "That was easier than I thought it was going to be. Mom and Dad ducked into the library again and locked the door." (beat) "Why do they do that? It's like at least twice a week for as long as I can remember!"

 **Nathan** : "James thinks there's a secret passage from somewhere in the Library to an underground boat harbor. From there, they take a boat across the lake to a private garage with some cars, then party hard on the town without UNTIL or PRIMUS being any the wiser."

 **Laura** : "Mom and Dad? Partying?!?"

 **Nathan** : "Yeah, I know. It's pretty implausible if you think about it too much."

(they laugh as they get into an SUV and Nathan opens the garage)

 **Laura** : "At least they're not being superheroes again."

(Nathan starts the SUV and they head out)

 **Nathan** : "Where am I taking you?"

 **Laura** : "Uhhh..." (beat, checks her smartphone) "1290 Waterford Drive in Little Elm. West of the High School. I'll punch it into the SUV's GPS."

 **Nathan** : "Please and thank you. I don't memorize maps like Dad does."

(Laura works with the GPS for a moment. Nathan pulls out onto Stowe Lane northbound as this happens)

 **Laura** : "There you go."

 **Nathan** : "Now if things get weird or out of control, call me and I'll come get you."

 **Laura** : "I'm not going to a wild teen party, Nathan! Come on, now."

 **Nathan** : "I mean it, Laura."

 **Laura** : "Don't you and Jackie have a hot date or something?"

 **Nathan** : "Why would I want to date Jackie? We practically grew up as brother and sister!"

 **Laura** (beat): "Riiight..."

* * *

(1290 Waterford Drive, Little Elm, TX. Saturday evening)

(Laura is attending a small video night get-together at Lorelei's house)

 **Laura** : "So what are we watching?"

(the doorbell rings. The girls all look at each other)

 **Lorelei** : "I wasn't expecting anyone else..."

(she answers the door. It's two members of the football team, with dates)

 **Football Player 1** : "Hey, is this where the party's at?"

(Lorelei's eyes widen in horror. She tries to shut the door but the crashers are already through it)

 **Football Player 2** : "I don't see any beer, man!"

 **Football Player 1** : "I'll call out for a keg."

 **Lorelei** (screaming): "GET OUT!"

(tense pause)

 **Football Player 2** : "Okay, babe. Calm down, we just wanna have a good time."

(Marcy Hollister strides through the open door with her posse in tow)

 **Marcy** : "Oh, this simply won't do, Whiny-Butt! You don't know the FIRST thing about holding a party!"

(the posse giggles)

 **Laura** (muttered): "Damn, that's annoying!"

(more football players are pouring through the door now)

 **Marcy** (directing the football players): "Okay, let's clear a dance floor, people! Stephanie, you bring your iPod?"

 **Stephanie** : "Locked and loaded! Where's the stereo?"

 **Football Player 3** (next to the TV): "Uh, over here?"

 **Marcy** : "And WHERE'S the alcohol? Whiny-Butt, how do you expect your guests to have a good time if there's NO alcohol present?"

 **Football Player 1** (looking up from the phone): "I'm on it."

 **Marcy** : "You're gonna take too long. REX? ARE YOUR FRIENDS ON THE WAY?"

(a biker-looking date of another member of the cheerleader squad who has just arrived nods)

 **Marcy** : "HAVE THEM STOP BY A LIQUOR STORE IF IT'S NOT TOO LATE!"

(Rex nods and borrows his date's cellphone)

(in less than 60 seconds, the living room of the Pierce house has been transformed into a dance floor with furniture casually shoved or thrown to the side. 20 people are already present, with more arriving by the moment in an almost continuous parade)

 **Diane** (leaning out of the kitchen): "There's not a whole lot of food here..."

 **Marcy** : "We'll just have to make do, then!"

(the stereo system kicks on with some fast and generic techno-dance music. Beat, then the volume goes to eleven. The growing crowd whoops and starts bouncing and dancing with wild abandon)

(Lorelei looks around at what her quiet night with her friends has just been hijacked into becoming. She turns and sobs uncontrollably into Laura's shoulder)

* * *

(1290 Waterford Drive, Little Elm, TX. Half an hour later)

(the party has spilled out into the surrounding lawn both in front of and in back of the Pierce House. Beer has been spilled everywhere inside the house, and smaller pieces of furniture have already been broken by party-goers not watching where they're moving or dancing. The smell of drugs are already coming from the family room downstairs, and both screaming and groaning can be heard from the upstairs bedrooms)

 **Lorelei** (crying): "WHAT do I DO?!?"

(before Laura can answer, a car careens up into the driveway between cheering teens. It attempts to drift-park and fails miserably, careening off of two more cars before coming to a rest halfway through the garage door. The crowd cheers wildly)

 **Laura** : "Get out of here and call 911!"

 **Lorelei** : "Walk with me, please! I don't want to be raped again by these people!"

 **Laura** : "Okay, calm down!" (beat, then she spots what appears to be a clear path through the oblivious throng) "This way!"

(she grabs Lorelei's hand and they make a break for it. Just as the reach the door, Lucas Steele arrives)

 **Lucas** : "Hey, Laura! Why the rush?"

(Lorelei stares at Lucas and screams in sheer horror)

 **Laura** (internal monologue): [[was it Lucas that raped her?]]

 **Lucas** (to Lorelei): "Oh, shut up. You weren't any good, anyway."

 **Laura** (internal monologue): [[yeah. Confirmed]]

(Laura attempts a martial punch on Lucas. Lucas barely blocks it, then grabs her)

 **Lucas** (smiling, to Laura): "I never *knew* you liked it rough! All right..."

(he hoists Laura over his shoulder and carries her screaming upstairs. He finds the Master Bedroom, with two couples in various stages of undress already in it)

 **Lucas** : "All of you. OUT."

(both couples run out, shutting the door behind them. Lucas throws Laura down on the bed)

 **Lucas** : "I've only been fantasizing about this moment since I first saw you at the beginning of the school year..."

(Laura hits him with a pushed Martial Strike for 2 BODY and 21 STUN after defenses. CON-stunned, Lucas collapses on top of Laura, pinning her against the bed. Blood flows from his nose onto her t-shirt)

 **Laura** (panicking): "Damn you, get off of ME..."

 **Lucas** (recovering from being stunned, blood still flowing from his nose): "Oh, you'll PAY for that, you bitch..."

(he grabs her t-shirt and tenses his muscles to rip it off of her body. Laura screams in terror, and a pulse of energy flares from her body and fills the room. Lucas is suddenly VERY immobile, a snarl of pure evil frozen on his face)

 **Laura** (internal monologue): [[get away get away GET AWAY...]]

(she finally tears herself away from Lucas' time-frozen body, not without more damage to her t-shirt. She flings the door open to look at the orgy the upstairs hall has become)

 **Laura** (internal monologue): [[gotta get away gotta RUN AS FAST AS I CAN!!]]

(energy pulses again, but remains focused inside her body. She feels a tingling, then everything around her is moving in super-slow motion as she stumbles toward the stairs)

 **Laura** (internal monologue): [[RUN!!]]

(she hurdles the party-goers reclining on the stairs in one leap and barely makes her Breakfall roll at the bottom of the stairs. She rolls out of the landing, everything around her still in super-slow motion, and dodges around the people in the front door)

(thirty seconds later, she is a block away and exhausted. There is a tingle and a blur, and the rest of the world resumes normal speed)

 **Laura** (panicked): "Smartphone, smartphone, WHERE is my..." (beat, locates her smartphone) "Oh thank God, THERE it is!"

(trembling, she pulls Nathan up on her contact list as she puts more distance between herself and the party)

* * *

****(Intersection of Walker Lane and Waterford Drive, Little Elm, TX. 10: 45 PM)

(Nathan sees Laura appear running down Waterford Drive and puts the SUV into a bootlegger reverse at the intersection. Laura sees him and runs up to the SUV)

 **Laura** (getting in, half-crazed): "Get me out of here! Now!"

(Nathan peels out. Before he makes the turn onto Harf Road, multiple flashing police lights can be seen from the far end of Walker Lane, heading westbound)

 **Nathan** : "What happened?"

 **Laura** (babbling hysterically): "Marcy hijacked the party and half the football team and cheerleading squads showed up and there was beer and alcohol and drugs everywhere and they all started trashing the place and Lucas Steele tried to rape me and I lost control of my powers and..."

 **Nathan** (interrupting): "STOP!"

(Laura shuts up)

 **Nathan** : "Did you just say that Lucas Steele tried to rape you?"

(Laura nods frantically. Nathan slams on the brakes and looks for a driveway along Harf Road)

 **Laura** : "What are you doing?"

 **Nathan** : "Finding a place to turn around."

 **Laura** (half-crazed): "WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT HELL-HOLE?"

 **Nathan** (flatly): "To slam my fist down Lucas' throat. Repeatedly."

 **Laura** : "NATHAN! DON'T!"

 **Nathan** : "I'M YOUR BROTHER! What am I SUPPOSED to do?!?"

 **Laura** : "I don't know. Call the police?"

 **Nathan** : "It's Lucas Steele. Do you honestly expect the police to take your word against his if you can't produce proof that he SUCCEEDED?"

(Laura shakes her head)

 **Nathan** : "And what do you think Mom and Dad will do if we tell THEM, instead?"

(tense pause)

 **Nathan** : "Yeah. If *I* deal with him, Little Elm will still be standing and people will still be ALIVE."

 **Laura** (beat): "Can't you at least get me back home before you take the law into your own hands?"

(beat, then Nathan puts the car back into gear and heads for the intersection with Eldorado Parkway)

 **Nathan** : "How did you get away from Lucas?"

 **Laura** : "I... I think my powers have an extra overdrive gear in them. I screamed in terror when he started to rip my clothes off, and he just froze like he was stuck in a moment of time."

 **Nathan** : "Like you did to Baron Nihil that one time?"

 **Laura** : "I only have your word and Dad's on that incident. I don't remember it at all."

(beat. They cross over the Eldorado Bridge into Lakewood Village)

 **Laura** : "Please don't turn back around when we get home and go out to do something stupid."

 **Nathan** (beat): "How bad were things at Lorelei's house."

 **Laura** : "The place was pretty badly trashed when I left. I can't imagine what it's like right now."

(an idea is forming in Nathan's mind)

 **Nathan** : "Then how about we get some of our friends together and do something about it tomorrow?"

* * *

****(1290 Waterford Drive, Little Elm, TX. Sunday, 12: 30 PM)

(Paula and Lorelei Pierce are in front of their house. Trash and damage are everywhere, the front windows are all broken, and a car has been driven through the garage door and abandoned askew in it. Paula hangs up her cellphone, and doesn't look happy)

 **Paula** : "That was the police department. No charges are going to be filed against the people that trashed our house last night."

 **Lorelei** : "But you said the insurance adjuster said no claim damage would be paid unless charges were filed!"

 **Paula** : "I know."

(she hugs her daughter. There are tears in both of their eyes)

 **Lorelei** (wailing): "What are we going to do?!?"

(An SUV pulls up in front of what's left of the Pierce house. The Hawkins children get out, pop the back hatch, and proceed to remove a shop vac, work gloves, and cleaning supplies)

 **Nathan** : "Mrs. Pierce?"

 **Paula** : "Yes. Who are you?"

 **Nathan** : "I'm Nathan Hawkins, ma'am. Laura is one of my sisters."

(Paula looks at him in disbelief)

 **Nathan** (continuing): "We thought you could use a little help cleaning up after what happened last night."

 **Paula** (still in disbelief): "Uhhh... Yes, please!"

 **Lorelei** (to Laura): "Are you okay? You vanished when things got out of control."

 **Laura** (grimly): "No. No, I'm not."

 **James** (pointing to the car sticking out of the garage): "Is that your car, ma'am?"

 **Paula** : "No..."

(James extends his right hand, which has a skeletal gauntlet over it)

 **James** (manipulating controls on his right gauntlet with his left hand): "Then let me get it out."

(the gauntlet glows, then the glow extends over the car. Beat, then James screams in pain as the gauntlet is ripped off his arm and hits the back of the car)

 **Laura** (shaking her head): "Oh, Nerd-mite..."

 **Jillian** (facepalming): "You forgot to add an anchor forcefield, didn't you Bro? I TOLD you that you needed an anchoring forcefield!"

(there is a wave of much-needed laughter as another car pulls up and stops behind the Hawkins SUV. Tomas and Mike get out, pop the trunk, and unload boxes of trash bags)

 **Nathan** : "Tomas! Mike! Over here!"

 **Paula** : "Who are they?"

 **Nathan** : "Friends of mine. I placed some calls."

 **Tomas** (offering a hand to Paula): "Mrs. Pierce? Tomas Contreras. Not everyone on the football team are senseless jerks."

(Paula shakes his hand wordlessly)

 **Mike** : "Where can we get started, ma'am?"

(as Paula struggles for words, yet another car pulls up. Jackie and Carson get out. Carson is carrying a sack from the local hardware store)

 **Jackie** : "Sorry we're late. Carson and I swung by the hardware store and got extra work gloves for anyone who needed them."

 **Carson** : "And we'll have pizza delivered here in an hour. On us."

(As Paula's shock continues to grow, Tomas pulls Nathan to one side)

 **Tomas** : "You left out a few details on what happened last night."

 **Nathan** : "I told you all that you needed to know."

 **Tomas** : "Yeah, that a small party your sister was attending got hijacked by Marcy Hollister." (beat) "You left out the detail that Lucas Steele attempted to rape your sister!"

 **Nathan** : "So?"

 **Tomas** : "You're not planning to do something to Lucas, are you?"

 **Nathan** (hotly): "Somebody has to defend my sister's honor! She already kept *me* from going back last night and doing something about it."

 **Tomas** : "Don't do this, Nathan. You'll be up against most of the football team, half of the faculty, AND the school administration!"

 **Nathan** (interrupting): "Would you prefer my parents deal with him? SUITED UP?!? Because they WILL, once they find out!"

(yet ANOTHER car pulls up. Vernon Edwards gets out, followed by Marcellus, Justin, and Randy)

 **Nathan** (confused): "I didn't call for any more help."

 **Jillian** (walking past Nathan): "I did." (to Justin) "Justin, I only called *you* for help..."

 **Vernon** : "Mr. York can be *very* persuasive for a freshman in high school."

 **Justin** : "My words were strong, for my cause was just."

(the freshmen laugh. Beat, then Nathan nods and turns back to Paula)

 **Nathan** (to Paula): "Your work crew awaits your command, Mrs. Pierce."

* * *

(Cafeteria, Little Elm High School. Lunch Hour, Monday)

(Laura and Lorelei are eating)

 **Laura** : "How are you and your mother holding up?"

 **Lorelei** : "We're managing." (beat) "Your brothers and sisters' friends showing up yesterday to clean up really, *really* helped."

 **Laura** : "What about the rest?"

 **Lorelei** (beat): "Insurance won't pay for damages unless charges are filed, and the police won't file charges against anyone who showed up."

 **Laura** : "Damn."

 **Lorelei** : "I don't understand how Marcy could have *learned* of our get-together on Saturday."

 **Marcy** (behind them): "Aw, Whiny-Butt doesn't understand Facebook!"

(Laura and Lorelei turn around. Marcy and her posse are standing behind them)

 **Stephanie** : "It's called social media. You really should look into it!"

(the posse giggles. Laura misses a PER roll, so she doesn't notice that Diane is not laughing)

 **Marcy** : "We won't hold it against you, Whiny-Butt! You threw a REALLY good party Saturday night!"

 **Stepahnie** : "A shame the police had to break it up so early. The fun was just starting!"

(something snaps inside Laura. She slowly stands up and faces the posse. She's angry)

 **Marcy** : "Careful there, glamazon! You wouldn't want to break a fingernail now..."

(Laura puts her hands on either side of Marcy's head. Stephanie and Diane gasp in shock)

 **Laura** (angry, through gritted teeth): "Shut. UP!"

(a pulse of energy radiates from her body and focuses on Marcy. Marcy freezes, in the middle of bringing her hands up to pull Laura's off of her head)

(beat, then Laura takes her hands off of Marcy and stares at Stephanie and Diane)

 **Laura** (low, angry voice): "If either one of you knows what's good for you, *run*."

(Stephanie and Diane run. Laura stares them out of the Cafeteria, then sits back down. Lorelei looks at her with a mixture of shock and fear, the time-frozen form of Marcy Hollister hovering over them both)

 **Laura** (to Lorelei): "Now. Where were we?"

* * *

(Football field, Little Elm High School. After school, Monday)

(Tomas Contreras has the starting defense over to one side and is showing him video of the team they will be playing on Friday night on an iPad)

 **Tomas** : "Okay, notice what the tight end does on both these plays after his initial block. He releases, then curves behind the line of scrimmage with nobody on him. If McKinney's quarterback doesn't have anyone deep, he's got a safety valve good for at least five yards."

 **Random Player 1** : "What if I keep him busy? Keep him from releasing from his block?"

 **Tomas** : "That should take the tight end out of their passing game."

 **Random Player 1** : "I can do that."

 **Random Player 2** (looking over Tomas' shoulder): "What the HELL?"

(Tomas turns around. To his horror, he recognizes Nathan striding out onto the practice field straight toward Lucas)

 **Tomas** : "Oh, shit."

(An offensive lineman in full pads tries to stop Nathan from coming any further onto the field. Nathan grabs him with one hand and tosses him three meters to one side without any visible effort)

 **Random Player 2** : "Who -- or WHAT -- is he?"

 **Tomas** : "Oh, God. Nathan, NO..."

(Nathan throws two more linemen and an assistant coach out of his way)

 **Nathan** : "LUCAS STEELE! YOU RAPED MY SISTER!"

(Coach Steele now attempts to tackle Nathan, who casually body-slams him into the ground. Lucas begins to backpedal away from Nathan, attempting to put the rest of the starting offensive unit between him and Nathan)

 **Nathan** : "YOU CAN RUN, LUCAS, BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE!"

 **Tomas** : "We have to stop him before he hurts anyone else!"

(multiple players now start dogpiling Nathan, which only succeeds in slowing him down. The defense joins the dogpile, which finally stops Nathan)

 **Nathan** (screaming): "YOU'LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU BASTARD!!"

(Nathan vanishes under the pile of football players)

* * *

(Main Entrance, Little Elm High School. Tuesday morning, before first period)

 **Jillian** (to Nathan): "WHAT were you THINKING yesterday?"

(Nathan's bruising at the hands of the football team has almost healed, thank you for asking)

 **Nathan** : "SOMEBODY has to make him *pay* for what he tried to do to Laura!"

 **James** : "Not like that, man! You think you could do something like that without there being consequences?"

(The Hawkins children are met at the door by Coach Steele and Principal Bryan)

 **Chuck** (pointing at Nathan): "That's him."

(the principal and the coach cut Clan Hawkins off from going any father into the school. A big male teacher and two security guards are behind them)

 **Bradley** (to Nathan): "Mr. Hawkins. Where do you think you're going?"

 **Nathan** : "To class. Sir."

 **Bradley** : "No, you're not."

(Nathan stares at the principal defiantly)

 **Bradley** (continuing): "You're suspended indefinitely until I can talk with your parents about your behavior yesterday."

 **Nathan** (snapping, pointing at Coach Steele): "WHAT ABOUT HIS SON'S BEHAVIOR? HE TRIED TO RAPE MY SISTER!"

 **Bradley** (sighing): "Sadly, that's not the first accusation like this which he's had to face. It's a hazard of being popular and skilled..."

 **Laura** (interrupting, angry): "Excuse me? I'm the sister he TRIED TO RAPE..."

(Principal Bryan leans threateningly over her)

 **Bradley** (through gritted teet): "You do NOT want to go there, girl. Not unless you want to join your brother in his punishment."

(Laura shuts up, but continues to stare angrily at the principal. Tense pause)

 **Bradley** (to Nathan): "Young man, I expected so much better of you because of who your parents were." (beat) "They have 24 hours to contact me. If I have *not* heard from them by this time tomorrow, I will be contacting the county Constables and have them arrest you. Also, should they make this deadline but not agree to have you submitted for psychiatric counseling over your behavior, I will still have the Constables arrest you. If you are not off of school grounds in 60 seconds, I will have the Constables arrest you wherever you run off to."

(tense pause)

 **Bradley** (continuing): "There is no outcome from this which is good for you. Go now, before things get worse."

 **Chuck** : "Run, boy. Just like your chickenshit little geek of a father."

(Nathan clenches his fists in sheer, unadulterated fury. Beat, then he turns for the parking lot)

(Laura glares at the principal and the coach with sheer hatred, then turns to follow her brother)

 **James** (to Jillian): "I don't feel safe here anymore, sis. How about you?"

 **Jillian** : "Me, neither."

(the twins turn to follow Nathan and Laura)

 **Bradley** (to the twins): "Excuse me? Where do you two think you're going?"

(Jillian tries to give the finger to the principal, but is stopped by James)

 **Jillian** (muttered, to James): "The network speed on the school LAN sucks, anyway."

* * *

(the Steele residence. Little Elm, TX. Late Tuesday afternoon)

(Lucas' cellphone rings as he shuts his car off. He looks at the number as he gets out, then takes the call)

 **Lucas** : "Hello?"

 **Marcy** (over phone): "It's Marcy."

 **Lucas** (sitting on his car's hood): "What's up?"

 **Marcy** : "Laura Hawkins."

(Lucas' face hardens)

 **Marcy** : "She's a witch or something!"

(beat)

 **Lucas** : "What did she do to YOU?"

 **Marcy** : "She grabbed my head yesterday at lunch, and the next thing I know it's next period and I had been standing in the same position for an entire HOUR!"

(tense pause)

 **Marcy** : "Why aren't you arguing with me?"

 **Lucas** : "Because she did the SAME thing to me at the party on Saturday!"

 **Marcy** : "Oh, God." (beat) "Lucas, we've got to do something about her!"

 **Lucas** : "And her brother, while we're at it."

 **Marcy** : "Is it true what he did to the football team yesterday?"

 **Lucas** : "Yeah." (beat) "Sure we don't want the police to take care of this? They're gonna arrest him tomorrow if his parents don't show up."

 **Marcy** : "Oh, get real. Their parents are retired superheroes and worth God-knows-HOW many billions of dollars! Have you even SEEN how people treat them in public?"

 **Lucas** : "So, they're 'screw the rules, we have money' people just like *your* parents?"

 **Marcy** : "Shut up."

(tense pause, then Lucas smiles)

 **Lucas** : "Rich boy's had it coming, anyway. I'm in."

 **Marcy** : "How are we going to do this?"

 **Lucas** (thinking): "We'll need guns and explosives. I'll get three of my teammates we can trust to help us."

 **Marcy** : "Who do you know that has explosives?"

 **Lucas** : "I'll have Steve borrow some ANFO and detonators from his dad. They use the stuff on his ranch all the time." (beat) "Can you get five backpacks?"

 **Marcy** : "Yeah."

 **Lucas** : "Good. Meet us at Don's in an hour. We'll borrow his dad's fishing boat, the one with the electric motor."

 **Marcy** : "Why?"

 **Lucas** : "The Hawkins house is on the shore of Lake Lewisville. They won't be expecting anyone coming from that direction."

 **Marcy** : "Oh."

 **Lucas** : "Don's place, one hour, with the backpacks. Be there."

(Lucas hangs up)

* * *

(the Holt residence, Little Elm, TX. An hour and a half later)

(Diane Holt is busy with homework. Frustrated, she slams her pen down on her papers)

 **Diane** (picking up her smartphone): "I wonder what Marcy's doing?"

(she calls up Marcy's contact and waits)

 **Marcy** (over phone, whispering): "Not now, Diane!"

 **Diane** : "What's going on?"

 **Marcy** (whispered): "We're doing something about the Hawkins' from school. Nathan and Laura have powers and have been using them to terrorize the student body, so we're going to teach them a lesson."

 **Diane** (beat): "What?"

 **Marcy** (whispered): "A permanent lesson. With guns and explosives." (beat) "We're approaching the shoreline now. Wish us luck."

 **Diane** (shocked): "Uh, yeah."

(Diane hangs up. Beat, then she frantically searches for something on her desk)

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II. Two minutes later)

(Laura Hawkins is on the Grand Piano in the Great Room. Nothing musical seems to be coming to her. Her smartphone rings)

 **Laura** (looking at her phone): "Who's that? I don't recognize the number."

(her phone keeps ringing)

 **Laura** : "Well, if they want to speak to me that bad, they can leave a message."

(her phone eventually stops ringing. Laura continues to doodle aimlessly on the piano for another minute, then her phone chimes)

 **Laura** (looking at her phone again): "Hm. Guess they really wanted to speak to me."

(she calls up her voicemail)

 **Diane** (sounding frantic): "Laura, this is Diane Holt. I know we're not the best of friends because of the company we each keep, but you HAVE to listen to me! Marcy and Lucas are on their way to attack your house with guns and explosives! They want to kill you and your brother because you have powers! It's like they've both gone off the deep end and I don't know them anymore..."

(the message continues to ramble on, but Laura is in too much shock to keep processing)

 **Laura** (springing up from the piano): "GUYS! WE'RE IN TROUBLE!!"

* * *

(Lake Lewisville. Three minutes later)

(A fishing boat with an electric motor glides across Lake Lewisville to the eastern shoreline of Lakewood Village. The lights of Dormyer Manor glow less than a hundred feet away)

 **Lucas** (whispered, stepping slowly out of the boat): "Watch your step, guys."

(three members of Luke's posse step out of the boat. The last helps Marcy out)

 **Lucas** (whispered): "Let's get next to the house, then fan out along the foundation before we plant the backpacks."

 **Accomplice** : "What do we set the fuse for?"

 **Lucas** : "One minute. You don't wanna get caught in the collapse, do you?"

(they prowl toward the manor. There is a rustling over to their right)

 **Marcy** (whispered): "Guys!"

 **Lucas** (whispered): "What?"

 **Marcy** (whispered): "Something's out here with us!"

(a huge four-limbed shadow can now be seen about 20 feet away to the right. There is a hint of bared fangs, and they all hear a very deep and menacing growl)

(Marcy fumbles with her gun frantically. It goes off, and the dark shadow gives off an unearthly howl of pain)

 **Lucas** (to Marcy): "DAMN YOU!" (striding past Marcy to where the shadow is howling on the ground) "If you want to do something right, you gotta do it yourself."

(Lucas pumps another shot into the shadow's head. The howling stops, and the posse can see that they have killed a very large, jet black dog)

 **Lucas** (to everyone else): "Move out. Quickly, before they can respond!"

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(the Hawkins children run into the Dining Room. James is carrying a box with him)

 **Laura** : "I let Baskerville out. Perhaps he can scare them off when they arrive."

 **Nathan** : "Better than nothing right now." (beat) "It FIGURES that Shina would be out on the grocery run right now..."

 **Laura** : "Mom and Dad?"

 **Jillian** : "Both numbers still go straight to voicemail."

 **James** : "It's been three days! Where ARE they?"

 **Jillian** (to the air): "House? I need Mission Control, in the Dining Room. NOW."

(virtual keyboards and holographic windows spring into existence on and above the table)

 **Laura** : "Whoa!"

 **Jillian** : "I had James work the hardware end for me."

 **Nathan** : "Do Mom and Dad know about this?"

 **James** (beat): "Uh, not yet?"

(Jillian is frantically typing on one of the virtual keyboards. The largest holographic window now displays a map of the manor grounds, with five blips all in the back yard. As the other children watch, the blips are tagged with names)

 **Jillian** : "This is current cellphone traces from all major carriers. Recognize any names?"

 **Laura** (deadpan): "Lucas and Marcy. What a surprise."

 **Nathan** : "The others are seniors on the football team."

 **Laura** : "So what are we going to do about it? Call the police?"

 **Nathan** : "You know what Dad says. When seconds count, the police are minutes away."

 **James** : "You want US to attack THEM? Two on Five?!?"

 **Laura** : "Three on five, Nerd-mite."

 **Nathan** (to Laura): "Are you sure you can handle it? Lucas tried to rape you last weekend!"

 **Laura** (angry): "Can you think of a *better* reason I should fight?" (beat) "It's MY house too, guys."

(beat, then James reaches inside the box he brought down from his room earlier and hands Nathan and Laura earpieces)

 **James** (affixing a third earpiece to his own ear): "If you use Jillian as Mission Control, she can keep in touch with us through these.

 **Nathan** : "Good."

(James now reaches inside the box and starts strapping a familiar-looking skeletal, metallic gauntlet onto his right hand)

 **James** : "Also, don't forget I've got telekinesis."

 **Laura** : "Did you remember the required secondary powers in this version, Nerd-mite?"

(nervous laughter)

(There is a single gunshot from the back yard, followed by Baskerville's howling. The howling is terminated by another gunshot)

(tense pause)

 **Jillian** : "Shit just got real, guys."

 **Nathan** : "And they will pay for that. Let's go."

* * *

(12 O'Clock Knob, just south of Salem, VA. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(a thunderstorm roils above the peak of the mountain outside Salem, the rumblings of its thunder echoing off the main ridge of the Appalachians to the north and the Blue Ridge to the south. As a bolt of lightning strikes the peak, there is a massive burst of debris which fountains into the sky, as if caused by something underneath than from the sky. We first see Jason 'Ghostbane' Kayami, overpowered with magic and silhouetted against the repeated flashes of lightning)

 **Ghostbane** (catching his breath): "FINALLY!"

(the rest of TASK FORCE crawls or flies out of the tunnel Ghostbane has created out of Shadow Destroyer's base in the South Central Appalachians)

 **Ranger** : "Bob? Collapse it."

 **Starforce** : "With pleasure."

(120 STR TK entombs the base again)

 **Thelambra** (to Ranger): "That was fun."

 **Starforce** : "Uh, guys?"

 **Ranger** (beat): "Nothing good ever comes from *that* tone of voice."

 **Starforce** : "I just synched back up with the local cell network. We've lost three days and change while we were in there."

 **Ladyhawk** : "But we were only in there an hour and a half..."

 **Grandfather** : "That explains the distortion that was around us while we were inside."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob, we've got even bigger problems! There's a perimeter breach and shots fired, in progress back at the Manor!"

 **Starforce** : "I'm looking at the message queue that the house AI just downloaded and I'm guessing it's NOT due to a wild teen party!"

 **Ladyhawk** (to House AI): "Portal to Home. NOW!"

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II. One second later)

(Lucas and his accomplices are sneaking toward the back of the Manor from the shoreline of Lake Lewisville)

 **Marcy** (whispered): "You think they would have heard or done something after we killed their dog."

 **Lucas** : "They're probably all cowering inside like a bunch of wimps." (beat) "Makes our job easier."

 **Accomplice** : "You sure this is the only way, man?"

 **Lucas** : "We have a right to be safe in our community. Which we'll never be as long as they are allowed to live. Are you with me, or them?"

 **Accomplice** : "You can count on me, Lucas."

 **Lucas** : "Good."

 **Nathan** (booming voice from the darkness in front of them): "STOP RIGHT THERE, LUCAS."

(squinting, Lucas can make out three human-looking shadows ahead of them)

 **Nathan** : "What do you think you're going to do, here?"

 **Lucas** : "A community service, you goddamned freak!" (beat) "You 'n your sister are fuckin' witches! Throwin' your powers around like you rule the place..."

 **Jillian** (in earpiece): "Nate, they've *all* got guns!"

 **Nathan** (subvocalized): "Kinda figured that. Waiting for them to get closer."

 **Lucas** : "Our parents and teachers are all pussies for not dealing with you as you deserve!"

 **Laura** : "What do we deserve, Lucas?"

 **Lucas** : "You all deserve to DIE! We're gonna shoot you dead just like we did your stupid dog, then blow you up along with your HOUSE!"

(there is a sudden gust of wind around Lucas and his accomplices, gone as abruptly as it started)

 **Nathan** : "What did you intend to shoot us with?"

 **Lucas** : "Our..." (beat) "Where's my gun?"

(James turns a spotlight on, illuminating the ground by Nathan's feet. There are four pistols and a shotgun in front of him)

 **James** : "Probably right there?"

 **Nathan** (to Lucas): "Molon Labe, assholes. Come and take them, if you can."

(tense pause)

 **Lucas** : "Get 'em."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II. One second later)

(Before Lucas can charge Nathan, a shooting star erupts from behind the Manor's garage and curves rapidly toward them. Everyone looks at it for a moment, dumbfounded)

 **Lucas** : "Dafu..."

(Screaming, Marcy tries to run away)

 **Nathan** (realizing who the shooting star is): "Oh, sh..."

(the shooting star bounces off the ground in front of Marcy as she tries to run away, leaving Ladyhawk behind in full kit)

 **Ladyhawk** (katanas springing into her hands): "Leaving so soon, dear? The party's just *started*!"

(Marcy screams again and turns back toward the battlefield)

(the shooting star stops 10 feet above the battlefield, revealing Starforce. 60 STR area-effect TK immobilizes everyone else)

(tense pause)

 **Starforce** (over radio): "Jillian? I've just hacked into your mission control frequency. Would you mind TELLING your mother and I what the HELL is happening here?"

 **Jillian** : "It would be better to give you both a tactical based on cellphone tracking."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Please and thank you!"

(they both look at the tactical overlay Jillian is having the house AI relay to them. As Ladyhawk prowls around the perimeter of the TK, Starforce switches his human tricorder powers to 'Detect Molecular Composition' and scans the non-Clan Hawkins people)

 **Starforce** (on private frequency to Ladyhawk): "The starting quarterback and the captain of the cheerleading squad are the only names I recognize. All the trespassers are carrying backpacks full of ANFO on them."

 **Ladyhawk** : "To do what? Scuff the stonework?"

 **Starforce** : "They don't need to know that."

(Starforce shuffles the AE TK to make Nathan and Lucas face each other. He drifts closer to them, still staying in mid-air)

 **Starforce** (now on external audio): "Lucas Steele. Like father, like son." (beat) "You and your buddies had enough ANFO on you to destroy our mansion. Do you know what happened to the last people who tried that?"

 **Lucas** : "N-n-n-no."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Why should they? It was before their time."

 **Starforce** : "Good point. Quick history lesson, then. We killed them, Mr. Steele. 30 VIPER agents dead by my personal action."

 **Ladyhawk** : "14 more fell to my katanas, one way or another."

 **Starforce** (pointing towards Ladyhawk): "And their Nest Leader took a headshot from her butler's Desert Eagle." /* "The Legacy of Doctor Destroyer" */

 **Lucas** : "P-p-please don't kill..."

 **Ladyhawk** (interrupting): "Oh, shut up. You're not VIPER agents, you're stupid high-school students."

 **Starforce** : "Local law enforcement might get upset if we go that Old Testament on you."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Judging from what I'm smelling right now, you're not worth the effort anyway."

 **Nathan** : "You're going to let him go?"

 **Starforce** : "No. I AM, however, going to release you and Mr. Steele from my telekinesis in a moment. I'm proud of you for trying to defend our home in your parents' absence, and I'm going to give *you* a chance to finish the job properly."

 **Nathan** : "YOU'RE not going to finish them?!?"

 **Starforce** : "Son, if I finished the job, they'd be dead. Same result with your mother."

 **Ladyhawk** : "We want them in prison for what they've done tonight. Not in caskets." (beat) "Finish the job."

 **Laura** : "But they killed Baskerville..."

 **Ladyhawk** (interrupting): "We know, dear. We saw his body flying in."

(tense pause)

 **Starforce** : "Nathan Robert Hawkins, if you do not personally kick Lucas Steele's ass, you're grounded. For a month."

(beat)

 **Nathan** : "Release us."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II. One second later)

(Starforce releases the telekinesis from both Nathan and Lucas only and drifts vertically up a few feet to get clear)

(Nathan stalks around Lucas counter-clockwise)

 **Nathan** (internal monologue): [[come on, Lucas. Be a good boy and dive for the guns]]

 **Lucas** : "It'll be so worth it, killing you in front of your own parents."

 **Nathan** : "That's your problem, Lucas. You're all talk, but no action..."

(Lucas dives for the gun pile and comes up with a revolver)

 **Lucas** : "DIE..."

(his trigger finger closes on thin air)

 **Nathan** : "Missing something?"

(the revolver is sitting in the palm of Nathan's glove. He works the safety and tosses it behind him)

 **Nathan** : "Mom, could you make sure the police get that..."

(Lucas comes up with a .38 pistol, which promptly vanishes and reappears in Nathan's gloved hand before being safed and tossed behind him as well)

 **Lucas** : "Damn you, you bastard..."

(he comes up with the last two pistols, one in each hand, before they blur and reappear in Nathan's hands)

 **Nathan** (safing and tossing both guns behind him): "You should know dual-wielding only works in bad action-adventure movies."

(CLICK)

(Lucas is holding the shotgun, and has released the safety)

(BLAM!)

 **Laura** : "NATHAN!"

(everyone's eyes recover from the muzzle flash. The pellets of the shotgun blast are all hovering as if frozen in time just above Nathan's clothes before raining down to the ground [Damage Negation -8 DC physical FTW]. Nathan is uninjured)

 **Nathan** : "Lucas?"

(beat, while Lucas' jaw drops open in shock)

 **Nathan** (continuing): "THAT was uncalled for."

(Nathan is suddenly in front of Lucas, his right hand around Lucas' throat. He rips the shotgun from Lucas' grasp with his left hand, drops it, then CON-stuns Lucas with a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of him)

 **Nathan** (winding up for a two-handed pushed haymaker): "And THIS is for what you tried to do to my sister, you son of a bitch."

(Nathan knocks Lucas out, as well as a couple of his teeth. Beat, then Nathan looks at his parents)

 **Nathan** (beat, pointing to Lucas' unconscious body): "I want *that* off this property. NOW."

(beat. Sirens echo and grow in intensity across the neighborhood)

 **Starforce** : "Not a problem."

* * *

(Denton County Constable's Office, Carrolton, TX. One hour later)

(Bob and Nathan are in Capt. Rendon's office. Bob is out of armor and in more comfortable clothes)

 **Starforce** (casually): "So what happened the past three days that made the starting quarterback of your football team AND the captain of the cheerleading squad BOTH want to blow the Manor up?"

(Nathan refuses to meet his father's gaze)

 **Starforce** (beat): "I'm waiting."

 **Nathan** (beat): "I promised everyone I wouldn't."

(awkward pause)

 **Starforce** : "Why?"

 **Nathan** : "Because we all knew how Old Testament you and Mom would go on Lucas and his gang if you found out what he did."

 **Starforce** (beat): "Which was... what, exactly?"

(tense pause)

 **Nathan** : "Lucas attempted to rape Laura Saturday night."

(Congratulations, Nathan. Your father just made his roll to be enraged)

 **Starforce** (slowly, with growing anger and volume): "And WHY did you *not* CONTACT THE AUTHORITIES?!?"

(Nathan cringes under his father's bellow)

 **Starforce** : "Your lack of judgement is appalling. Baskerville might still be alive if you had just CALLED somebody..."

 **Nathan** : "Look, I'm SORRY! Lucas paid for his crimes..."

 **Starforce** (interrupting, getting his smartphone out): "Physically."

(he calls up Julie's contact info)

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "Talk to me, Nerd-boy."

 **Starforce** (to phone): "Turns out that there were extenuating circumstances behind tonight's events."

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "Such as?"

 **Starforce** : "Lucas Steele attempted to rape Laura on Saturday night."

(beat)

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "He didn't succeed, did he?"

 **Starforce** : "I don't believe so."

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "So that's why Nathan attacked the entire football team after school on Monday?"

 **Starforce** : "That's the first I've heard of that..."

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "The twins told me after you and Nathan left for the Constable's office. They said Nathan's suspended from school and will face charges if he doesn't receive psychological counseling."

 **Starforce** : "I thought we both taught him better than that."

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "Dear, go easy on him. From what you just told me, he was apparently defending his sister."

 **Starforce** : "It's his judgement that I'm worried about right now. I've already yelled at him about that."

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "So what we interrupted tonight was revenge on Lucas' part?"

 **Starforce** : "Looks that way to me." (beat) "If we can't spin that to get Nathan out of his current problems, we're both bad parents."

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "I just had an awful thought. What if Laura wasn't Lucas' first victim?"

 **Starforce** : "She told me once that her friend Lorelei was sexually assaulted by another student late last school year."

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "I'll have Jillian see what she can find on the school computers."

(A well-dressed woman imperiously walks into Constable Rendon's office ahead of Constable Rendon)

 **Starforce** : "Keep me posted, I gotta go. Our first contestant just walked into Constable Rendon's office. Loveyabye."

(he hangs up in the nick of time. Nathan starts to get up out of his seat to offer it to the woman, but Bob shakes his head)

 **Woman** : "Lisa Hollister, district 12, Texas House of Representatives. WHY did you have to do this when my husband was negotiating a hedge fund deal in Singapore?"

 **Rendon** (sitting at her desk): "Ask your daughter. She's the one who broke the law tonight."

 **Lisa** : "But that's impossible!"

 **Rendon** : "I have a gun in my custody as we speak with her fingerprints on it and one shot fired. Forensics just dug that shot out of the body of Dr. Hawkins' dog."

 **Lisa** : "My little Marcy would NEVER hurt anyone..."

 **Starforce** : "Tell that to my dog." (beat) "Oh, wait. You can't. He's DEAD from two gunshot wounds!"

 **Lisa** : "My daughter has a right to defend herself from rabid pack animals!"

 **Starforce** : "Not when she's trespassing on my property."

 **Lisa** : "SHE. HAS. RIGHTS!"

 **Starforce** (unconsciously mimicking her cadence from the previous sentence): "SHE. HAD. A *BACKPACK* of ANFO on her and was going to BLOW MY HOUSE UP!" (beat) "Does she have a right to do really stupid things on MY property that transcends my right to be safe on it?"

 **Lisa** : "WHAT?"

 **Starforce** : "That's an *interesting* legal theory, Representative Hollister. One that deserves case law and precedent." (to Capt. Rendon) "I wish to press charges against..."

 **Lisa** (panicked): "WAIT!"

 **Starforce** (to Lisa): "Excuse me?"

 **Lisa** : "Can't we agree to something that doesn't involve jail?"

(awkward pause, as Bob stares at Represenative Hollister over steepled fingers)

 **Lisa** (nervously): "Like community service?"

(beat. Bob looks at Capt. Rendon)

 **Rendon** : "200 hours of community service is standard for juvenile felonies."

 **Starforce** : "Would Baskerville have survived her shot?"

 **Rendon** : "Yes. The shot from Lucas Steele's gun killed him."

 **Starforce** (beat): "Community service for Ms. Hollister would be acceptable to me, then."

 **Rendon** : "Okay, then. Mrs. Hollister, the Baliff is in room 105. There's paperwork which will need to be completed before we release your daughter."

 **Lisa** : "Thank you!"

(she leaves. Bob's smartphone rings. He recognizes the number as Julie's)

 **Starforce** (muttered): "That was quick." (answering his phone) "Hey, Ninjette..."

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "You are NOT going to believe what Jillian and I just found on the coach's and principal's email accounts!"

 **Starforce** : "Try me."

 **Laduhawk** (over phone): "Lucas Steele is a serial rapist with seven offenses over the last three years covered up by both his father the head coach and the school principal. They coordinated the coverups via email, intimidating the victims into silence where they could, manufacturing evidence for expulsion where they couldn't."

(beat)

 **Starforce** : "Oh, *really*?"

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "Jillian's mirroring their accounts as I speak, but I'm guessing they won't be admissable as evidence unless they start deleting messages *right* *now*."

 **Starforce** (looking at Constable Rendon): "Can we anonymously email the account and password information to the appropriate jurisdictions and let *them* discover this?"

 **Ladyhawk** (over phone): "I'm sure at least Constable Rendon would be interested in what we've been reading. PRIMUS, too."

 **Starforce** : "Works for me. Love you, Ninjette. Bye."

 **Rendon** : "Something I need to know?"

 **Starforce** : "You will be getting an anonymous email Real Soon Now containing account and password information for both Coach Steele and Principal Bryan. You REALLY need to hack their accounts and read what's been happening at Little Elm High School for the past three years."

 **Rendon** : "Does this have something to do with tonight's events?"

 **Starforce** : "Oh, yeah."

(Bob and Constable Rendon look at each other for a moment)

 **Rendon** : "Speaking of which, I've been keeping him out in the lobby. You've put off dealing with him long enough."

 **Starforce** (sighing as he stands up): "Bring him in."

(Chuck Steele storms into Constable Rendon's office)

 **Chuck** (angry): "You can't keep my son locked up..."

 **Starforce** : "Oh, yes I can."

(beat. Chuck walks up to Bob and gets right up into his face)

 **Chuck** : "What makes you think that you can do that?"

 **Starforce** (trying not to laugh): "SERIOUSLY? You think you can intimidate ME?"

 **Chuck** : "You're nothin' but a chickenshit little geek. Always have been, always will." (beat) "Run, boy."

 **Starforce** (bored): "Oh, please. I've defeated Doctor Destroyer, Istvatha V'han, Takofanes, and Tlokon the Usurper, just to name the first four villains that came to the top of my head. What makes you think you can intimidate ME anymore?"

(beat)

 **Chuck** : "Names. Those are just fancy-soundin' names."

 **Starforce** : "You really think they don't exist, don't you?"

 **Chuck** : "I think you're lying, geek."

 **Starforce** : "That makes us even." (beat, spitting the curses into Chuck's face) "I think you -- AND your loser of a son -- are full of shit, you pathetic, motherfucking, micro-dicked son of a bitch."

(Chuck throws a punch at Bob. Bob catches it with his left hand, then squeezes. There is the sound of splintering bones, then Chuck screams in excruciating pain)

 **Starforce** (casually): "Yeah, that's one of the things with Varanyi nanotech. I have four times the strength I had back in high school."

 **Chuck** (whimpering): "Please! Let go of me!"

 **Starforce** (low and menacing): "I TOLD you not to mess with me anymore, Chuckie, but you HAD to go and try by hiding behind the actions of your own son." (beat, through clenched teeth) "Pathetic doesn't even BEGIN to describe your cowardice."

(Chuck flails at Bob with his free arm. Bob grabs it and uses it to force Chuck to his knees)

 **Chuck** (screaming): "PLEASE!!"

 **Starforce** (casually): "Chuckie, I'd almost forgiven you for what you tried to make my high school years. But when you teach your own son that it's okay to rape MY daughter? You've gone too far!"

 **Rendon** : "Dr. Hawkins? I'll have to arrest you if you persist..."

 **Nathan** : "DAD!"

 **Starforce** (angry, to Nathan): "What?"

 **Nathan** : "Just because you're the Son of Doctor Destroyer doesn't mean you have to ACT like Doctor Destroyer!"

 **Starforce** (beat): "I'm not my father."

 **Nathan** : "Then don't stoop to his level, sir."

(tense pause, then Bob releases Chuck and steps back)

 **Chuck** (gasping, to Capt. Rendon): "Ain't you gonna press charges?"

 **Rendon** : "Why?"

 **Chuck** : "HE BROKE MY HAND!"

 **Rendon** : "Defending himself against your unprovoked attack."

 **Chuck** (sobbing): "YOU HEARD WHAT HE CALLED ME!"

 **Rendon** (coldly): "Yet you weren't man enough to brush off his taunts."

(Chuck's shocked expression somehow makes it past his pained expression)

 **Rendon** : "If anyone needs to get arrested, it's you."

(Rendon looks at Bob and raises an eyebrow. Beat, then Bob shakes his head)

 **Rendon** : "Why not, Dr. Hawkins?"

(Bob looks at Nathan, then back to Capt. Rendon. He's a LOT calmer than he was a moment ago)

 **Starforce** : "Let my mercy be his punishment, instead."

* * *

(Little Elm High School. First Period, the next morning)

(Bob and Julie walk into the school and enter the front office)

 **Secretary** : "May we help you?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "We're here to see the principal."

 **Secretary** : "He's unavailable right now..."

(Julie effortlessly vaults the front desk while Bob rips the swinging half-door to the secretary's area off its hinges and throws it off to the side)

 **Ladyhawk** (menacingly): "NOW."

(they walk past the secretary and find the Principal's office in short order. Bob opens the door, and they saunter into the Principal's office. Bob stops long enough to rip the phone cord out of the wall socket)

 **Bradley** : "Get out."

 **Starforce** : "Bite me."

(Julie closes and locks the door. She and Bob then sit down and stare at Principal Bradley)

 **Starforce** : "You're probably wondering why we're here?"

 **Bradley** : "Something to do with why my football coach is in the hospital and my star quarterback is in jail, right?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Duh."

 **Starforce** : "We're here because Lucas Steele attempted to rape our daughter Laura last Saturday night."

(tense pause)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Imagine our surprise when we found out that Lucas' attempted rape of Laura WASN'T the first occurrence of this behavior during his high school career!"

 **Starforce** : "And imagine our further surprise when we found the emails between you and Coach Steele where you assured him that in each case you would make sure that he and his son would be protected and the girl would suffer instead."

 **Ladyhawk** : "You ruined seven lives because you either manufactured evidence to justify the girls' expulsions or blackmailed them with... Bob, what was the term he used in the emails concerning Lorelei Pierce?"

 **Starforce** : "I believe it was 'You have no idea how difficult your life will become in school should you press charges.'" (looks at Bradley) "Did I get that right?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "SEVEN lives ruined because your award-winning football coach couldn't be BOTHERED to instill even a *basic* moral code into his son!"

 **Starforce** (deadpan): "I can't wait to see how you intend to intimidate our family." (beat) "Beyond what you've done to our son for attempting to defend our daughter's honor."

(tense pause)

 **Bradley** : "You will of course find it impossible to prove your accusations..."

 **Starforce** (interrupting): "Because you didn't think that your servers needed deleting until just now? Dude, the Little Elm PD, the Denton County Sherriff, and PRIMUS have had your account and password since last night!"

 **Bradley** (shocked): "PRIMUS cannot *possibly* have jurisdiction..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Retired superheroes, hello?" (pointing to Bob) "One of whom just *happens* to be the son of the most dangerous supervillain in human history?"

 **Starforce** : "Our family is monitored 24/7 because Bill Clinton decided back in 1993 that *I* was a national security risk." (beat, annoyed) "A finding which NEITHER of his successors could be bothered to rescind."

 **Ladyhawk** : "ANYTHING that happens to us or our family like last night *automatically* comes under PRIMUS' jurisdiction!"

(Bradley gulps nervously)

 **Bradley** : "So what are you going to do to me?"

 **Starforce** : "Given that you abused your position to protect the predations of your star football player, I believe that makes you -- as well as his father -- accessories to his crimes. What do YOU think we should do?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Since you have a wife and family to think about, we have a solution that makes us happy and leaves you a free man."

(Julie takes a piece of paper out of her briefcase and slides it across the principal's desk)

 **Ladyhawk** : "We took the liberty of preparing your letter of resignation for you. If you know what's good for you, you WILL sign it and vacate this office by lunch hour today."

(tense pause)

 **Bradley** : "And if I tell you to get the hell out of my office instead?"

 **Starforce** : "We'll leave."

 **Bradley** : "For a Nobel Laureate, you're pretty stupid..."

 **Starforce** (interrupting coldly): "I'm not finished."

(something in the way Bob says that sentence chills the Principal to the bone)

 **Starforce** (continuing): "We'll leave only long enough to suit up. Then, we'll return. And then, we will dismantle this school, brick by brick, until we find whatever Ladies' Room that you've tried to hide in."

 **Bradley** (beat, frightened for his life): "You'd... KILL me for this?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Why would we want to do that when humiliation is a MUCH more effective learning tool?"

 **Starforce** (fingers steepled in front of him): "Tar and feathers are *surprisingly* hard to find nowdays." (beat) "But not impossible."

 **Ladyhawk** (evil smile): "Your call."

(tense pause)

 **Bradley** : "Look, I'm sure we can come to an accomodation, now. I'll drop your son's suspension and punishment, have it removed from his record..."

 **Ladyhawk** (interrupting): "Your successor can do that just as easily."

 **Starforce** (to Julie, sighing as he gets up): "I'll go get our suits..."

 **Bradley** (terror-stricken): "WAIT!!!"

(Bob stops, his hand on the doorknob. He looks over his shoulder at the Principal and raises an eyebrow)

(Julie helpfully pulls a pen out of the desk organizer in front of her and slides it across toward the principal, next to the resignation letter)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Take your time."

(beat, then the principal signs the letter)

* * *

(Little Elm High School. Lunch)

(The cafeteria monitors are showing the news at noon. Unusually enough, the student body is quiet and watching)

 **Anchor** : "Little Elm is reeling today after shocking revelations of a massive cover-up intended to protect the star player on the high school football team. Roberto Aguilar has the story from Little Elm. Roberto?"

(the view cuts to a live exterior shot of the High School with a WFAA-TV reporter in front)

 **Roberto** : "Thank you, Melissia. Yesterday, Lucas Steele was the starting quarterback for the Little Elm Lobos, poised to take his team on a deep run into the playoffs this year. Today, he is behind bars for one count of attempted arson, five counts of attempted murder, and one count of cruelty to animals, and further stands accused of seven rapes over a three-year timespan among the student body of Little Elm High. It was his eighth intended victim that led to his downfall."

(a file photo of Laura appears on the screen)

 **Roberto** : "Laura Hawkins, a junior at Little Elm High School and daughter of the retired superheroes Starforce and Ladyhawk, fought back where his previous victims had not. And then, her brothers and sister came to her defense."

(taped interview with Tomas Contreras)

 **Tomas** : "Beginning of the week, her older brother Nathan came storming onto the practice field after Lucas. He was furious, throwing 250-pound linemen to either side like they weighed nothing. It took 20 people to restrain him." (beat) "I've never seen anything like it before."

(cut)

 **Nathan** (to Tomas, smiling): "You didn't have to help them."

 **Tomas** : "I didn't want any more of my teammates hurt."

 **Mike** (to Nathan): "My man, you need to be more careful 'bout showin' your powers."

 **Jackie** : "Seconded. Nate, you should know better than that."

 **Carson** : "A genuine Foe-Tossing Charge straight out of TV Tropes? Cool!" (beat, to Tomas) "Anyone get video of it?"

(laughter at their table)

* * *

**Roberto** : "But matters didn't end there. Last night, Steele and four accomplices broke onto the grounds of the Hawkins residence in Lakewood Village with a sizable quantity of ANFO and guns while Dr. and Mrs. Hawkins were out."

(taped interview with Capt. Rendon)

 **Rendon** : "Mr. Steele and friends shot and killed the family dog, which alerted the children to their trespassing. The Hawkins children were able to put up a spirited defense of the property, long enough for their parents to come home, suit up, and deal with the trespassers themselves."

 **Roberto** : "Excuse me. Did you say that Ladyhawk and Starforce *suited* *up*?"

 **Rendon** : "Considering everything they've been through for nearly two decades, I can't say that I blame them. They actually chose to restrain all the other accomplices and let their oldest son Nathan personally subdue Mr. Steele before we were able to arrive on-scene."

(cut)

 **Roberto** : "It was *then* that things got interesting..."

(taped interview with Agent Corwin, PRIMUS DFW detachment)

 **Corwin** : "By Presidential Directive, we are required to monitor the activities of Dr. Hawkins and his family 24/7. Last night, we were alerted to message traffic originating from the computer network at Little Elm High School concerning a threat against the Hawkins children. It was there that we not only discovered that one of his daughters had almost become a rape victim, but that the football coach and school principal had actively covered up previous rapes committed by Mr. Steele over the years."

 **Roberto** : "What did you do with the information?"

 **Corwin** : "In cases like this one, which started out involving superhumans using their powers to defend themselves and their loved ones, PRIMUS has strict directions to defer to the local authorities."

 **Jillian** (to Randy): "Tell your father, you're welcome."

(Randy smiles)

 **Justin** (to Jillian): "You didn't happen to get that OTHER thing we discussed while you were on the network, did you?"

 **James** : "Justin! She's been busy helping to protect our family and home!"

 **Jillian** (handing a flash drive to Justin): "Well, not THAT busy..."

(Justin relays the flash drive to Marcellus)

 **Justin** : "As we discussed."

 **Marcellus** (taking the flash drive): "Thank you. My place, after school. I'll get you through that Algebra assignment."

 **James** (to Jillian): "What was *that* about?"

 **Jillian** : "Marcellus' sophomore problem is about to go bye-bye." (beat) "And he now knows where to find Moesha every period."

(James shakes his head, smiling)

* * *

(back to live)

 **Roberto** : "I've been able to independently confirm with the Denton County Prosecutor's office that all of PRIMUS' evidence has been turned over to them and is currently being examined by the county Grand Jury. The fallout from the scandal already has been impressive. Bradley Bryan, principal of the high school, abruptly resigned this morning after what sources reported to be an ugly confrontation with Dr. and Mrs. Hawkins in his own office. Tonight, the Little Elm school board is scheduled to meet in emergency session to consider whether or not to fire Chuck Steele, head coach and Lucas' father, two days before an historic matchup against McKinney North."

(taped interview with Rachel Elmore, president of the School Board)

 **Rachel** : "We take the safety of our student body here in Little Elm seriously. We cannot tolerate, in this day and age, an environment which covers up the actions of a serial predator solely to ensure athletic glory."

(cut)

 **Lorelei** (shyly, to Laura): "Thank you."

 **Laura** : "What are friends for?"

 **Voice** (nervously): "Excuse me?"

(Laura and Lorelei look up. It's Diane, former member of Marcy's girl posse)

 **Diane** (hesitantly, hands on an empty seat to Lorelei's left): "Is this seat taken?"

* * *

**Roberto** : "Vic Sanford, president of the Lobos Boosters Club, had this to say about the developing situation."

(taped interview with Vic)

 **Vic** : "C'mon, boys will be boys! I'm sure the accusations will all prove baseless! We can't let the panic attacks of some rich namby-pambys resting on their supposed heroic laurels from the 1980s ruin what's been a dream season for the Lobos, now!"

(cut)

 **Roberto** : "To which the namby-pambys in question had THIS to say..."

(taped interview in front of Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II. Julie is being interviewed, with Bob close by in the background)

 **Ladyhawk** (taped): "Considering that it was our children AND HOUSE that almost became Mr. Steele's latest victims, I'm less than sympathetic toward the Boosters Club and its..." (briefly making scare quotes with her fingers) "...outrage." (beat) "I consider them to be enablers of Lucas Steele's behavior, just as bad as his father and the former principal."

 **Starforce** : "Also, Lucas Steele fired a shotgun at our son while trespassing on our property *right* *in* *front* *of* *us*. Since the Boosters Club is so eager to encourage this behavior among our sports-playing youth, our lawyers will be in touch with them this afternoon."

 **Roberto** : "What about your popularity in the local area?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "I don't care about popularity, I want justice done for all of Lucas Steele's victims. It's not like I'm going to run for President or anything."

 **Roberto** : "You're not worried about reprisals?"

 **Starforce** (in disbelief): "SERIOUSLY?"

 **Ladyhawk** (indicating herself and Bob): "Retired superheroes! Duh..."

(laughter and applause across the entire cafeteria)

 **Mike** (to Nathan): "You know, my man? Your mom would make a pretty good President."

 **Nathan** : "She's not a politician. Don't hold your breath."

 **Jackie** : "Riiiight..."

(the senior table laughs)

* * *

**EPILOGUE** : Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II. The next Saturday.

(It's the annual pool draining party. Clan Hawkins' friends from Little Elm HS have been invited to it)

(Vernon Edwards and his son Marcellus are driving up the driveway)

 **Marcellus** : "The original was mostly destroyed in a VIPER attack back in 1992. They say Dr. Hawkins rebuilt it out of pure Destreum."

 **Vernon** : "If he did, it doesn't look it from the outside." (beat) "See a parking spot?"

 **Marcellus** : "Yeah, next to the Corwin's car."

(Vernon parks the car and they get out)

 **Vernon** : "I wonder how Mr. Corwin is enjoying his new extracurricular activity?"

 **Marcellus** : "You mean his emergency election to be President of the Boosters Club? Randy couldn't stop talking about it all week..."

(a tall Japanese woman in a kimono greets them at the Front Door)

 **Shina** : "Konichiwa! I am Shina Arikawa, head of domestic staff at Dormyer Manor. Please, make yourselves at home!"

 **Vernon** (to Shina): "Thank you!"

(they walk into the foyer, amazed by all that they're seeing)

 **Marcellus** : "Wow..."

(Justin sprints up the steps from the basement)

 **Justin** : "There you are, Marcellus! Jillian's going to do a play-test of her _Call of Duty_ Superhero module down in the game room!"

 **Marcellus** : "Aw, COOL! Later, dad!"

(Marcellus sprints after Justin down the stairs. Vernon smiles and shakes his head, preferring to concentrate on the foyer. He stops next to Tim Corwin at the engagement photo of Bob and Julie with the Galactic Core of the Milky Way in the background)

 **Carson** (behind Vernon and Tim): "That's the core of our own galaxy behind them, roughly 1,000 light-years north of the galactic plane and 10,000 light-years from Sagittarius A itself." (beat) "Starforce convinced the Varanyi to stop long enough to take several pictures on their return to Earth in 1992."

 **Tim** : "There are other pictures of this?"

 **Carson** : "Supposedly, there's a different one in the Master Bedroom."

 **Starforce** (behind them): "No supposedly about it. There IS a different pose of that photo in our bedroom."

 **Vernon** : "So why can't we see it?"

 **Starforce** (deadpan): "I don't want to disturb all of you with the sex toys Julie and I keep in the Master Bedroom."

 **Jillian** (walking by Bob from the kitchen to the stairway with chips and a bowl of salsa): "I thought you and Mom kept all the sex toys by the pool, Dad."

(Jillian vanishes downstairs. Vernon, Tim, and Carson look at Bob, who looks at the stairway to the basement level before returning their gaze)

* * *

(Pool deck, Stately Dormyer Manor. The roof and walls for the pool deck are slowly and mechanically inching into place over it)

 **Mike** : "I thought this was a pool DRAININ' party, my man!"

 **Nathan** : "It used to be until a couple of years ago."

 **Tomas** : "What changed?"

 **Laura** : "Nerd-mite and Dad figured out how to do a movable shelter that could roll over the entire pool. We can use it the whole year, now."

 **Diane** : "Cool!" (beat, looks around) "Hey, where's Lorelei?"

 **Jackie** : "I saw her in the game room when Nate and I walked past just now."

 **Nathan** : "Jillian was just starting a playtest for that new mod to _Call of Duty_ that she's been coding."

 **Diane** : "I didn't know Lorelei was into games."

 **Laura** (impressed): "You and me both."

* * *

****(Game room, Stately Dormyer Manor. The playtest for _Call of Duty: Caped Crusaders_ is in full swing. Marcellus, Justin, and Randy are all on one couch playing various superhumans. Lorelei, James, and Jillian are on the other couch playing against them)

 **Lorelei** (playing Lady Blue): "This is... really good!"

 **Jillian** (playing Ladyhawk): "Thank you."

 **Randy** (playing Ranger): "I have you now, Lady Blue..."

(Jillian throws marbles into Randy's way. He slips, falls, and is promptly blasted into unconsciousness by Lorelei)

 **Jillian** : "Marbles. When your target absolutely, positively, HAS to be on its ass RIGHT NOW!"

(the playtest group laughs)

 **Justin** : "What self-respecting superhuman uses MARBLES as a weapon?"

 **James** : "Don't laugh. It was part of Mom's utility belt loadout for her entire superheroic career." (beat) "She showed me, once."

(Lorelei looks at Randy)

 **Lorelei** (shy smile): "I'm sorry. Don't take it personal..."

(Randy starts to say something, then stops. Long pause, held gaze)

 **Marcellus** (to Randy and Lorelei): "Uh, playtesting! Hello?"

(everyone laughs again)

* * *

(Pool balcony, Stately Dormyer Manor)

(The roof and walls are in place over the pool deck. Nathan, Laura, and their friends are enjoying themselves in the pool as Julie glances in. Shina appears behind her)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Did you do it?"

 **Shina** : "The envelope with the money is in Ms. Pierce's jacket." (beat) "Are you sure you want to do this?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Lorelei's mother will bankrupt herself attempting to recover damages to her house from Representative Hollister and her husband." (beat) "If I were in her situation, I know that *I* would appreciate an act of charity from my friend's parents."

 **Shina** : "Why cash?"

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): "I don't want Mrs. Pierce to feel like she owes me."

 **Shina** : "An opinion apparently shared by the contributors of the three other envelopes of cash which were already in her jacket when I added yours."

 **Ladyhawk** : "WHAT?"

 **Shina** (smiling): "Through the course of the afternoon, I have observed Agent Corwin, Mr. Edwards, and Master Robert all extremely interested in not being seen entering the Coat Room."

(Julie looks at Shina, smiling but stunned)

 **Shina** : "After all that Lorelei and her mother have been forced to endure in their lives, don't you think they deserve some good fortune?"

(Shina glides off toward the kitchen)

* * *

(fin)


End file.
